TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Lenny Sugiharto, co-founder of the Srikandi Sejati Foundation, explained that the Foundation engages in transgender empowerment for the economic sector and campaigns against HIV/AIDS. Since 2008, Lenny has been campaigning to achieve a better and healthier life for her community because many transgender continueto be marginalized in in terms of economy and health.
For economic empowerment, the Foundation cooperated with the Social Affairs Ministry to provide training in fields such as hairdressing business, cookery, fashion, and venture capital.
Meanwhile, in health sector, campaigns launched by the Foundation include promoting the importance of an HIV check-up.
"Building awareness is important, because transgenders have a risky life, but the approach must be distinctive," Lenny explained. "Because transgenders emotions are unpredictable."
The Foundation use means such as movies or case study to encourage people to go and have themselves checked for HIV.
Currently, there are 2,900 transgenders supported by the Srikandi Sejati Foundation, which, according to Lenny, 50 percent of them are infected with HIV.
In an effort to treat HIV infection, the Foundation cooperates with the Jakarta Health Agency to provide free-of-charge HIV check-up. Those who does not own a Jakarta ID card, may obtain a cover letter from the Foundation. Meanwhile, for people living outside Jakarta, they will only have to pay Rp100,000 (around US$8.45) for an initial blood test. If the person is tested HIV positive, they will receive free medical treatment.
ANGGRITA DESYANI